K.S. v. Florida Department of Children & Families

The appellant, K.S., challenges an order adjudicating her children dependents of the state. We reverse.

At the arraignment hearing on the Department of Children and Families’ petition for dependency of the appellant’s children, the father entered a written consent to the dependency of the children. Although the appellant requested an eviden-tiary hearing on dependency consistent with the requirements of section 39.507(7)(b), Florida Statutes, the trial court did not conduct a hearing and issued a final order adjudicating the children dependent based only on the consent of the father without…